The program “Words and Their Stories” explains the expression “that train has left the station.” It is used when you have missed an opportunity or when a plan is already moving forward and can’t be changed. Similar sayings are “that ship has sailed” or “you missed the boat.” These phrases are informal, so they are fine with friends or coworkers but not with a boss or a professor. The story about a student who almost missed his train shows how the expression works in real life.
- train
- Definition: a railway vehicle the speaker intended to board for a trip from Budapest to Prague.
- Example: You have missed your train and your chance to see Prague.
- opportunity
- Definition: a chance or possibility to do something that can be missed.
- Example: It means you have missed an opportunity.
- expression
- Definition: a set phrase used to convey a particular meaning, such as “that train has left the station.”
- Example: And that brings us to our expression for today.
- rude
- Definition: behaving in a way that may offend or be impolite, which the speaker wants to avoid.
- Example: You don’t want to be rude.
- informal
- Definition: a casual style of speech not suited for formal situations.
- Example: And they are informal.
- What does the expression “That train has left the station” mean in the program?
- The train is physically leaving the platform
- You have missed an opportunity
- You should board the train quickly
- The station is closing
- Why does the professor initially say he will drive the student to the station?
- He wants to be helpful and send the student off with a celebration
- He needs to test his new car
- He plans to sell tickets for the next train
- He wants to catch the train himself
- Which expression is given as another example that means the same as “That train has left the station”?
- “That bus has broken down”
- “That ship has sailed”
- “That plane has landed”
- “That car has stalled”
- To which of the following people does the narrator say it would be inappropriate to use the expression?
- A friend
- A co‑worker
- A boss or professor
- A neighbor
- In the mother‑arranged date example, what does the narrator say he would probably tell the listener?
- “Sorry, I can’t go.”
- “That train has already left the station.”
- “I need more time to decide.”
- “Let’s reschedule for another day.”
- Have you ever missed a train, bus, or important chance? How did you feel about it?
- Do you think the student should have said “no” to dinner even though the professor invited him? Why or why not?
- Why did the professor’s offer to drive the student cause the student to miss the train?
- What could the student have done differently to avoid missing the train?
- Should we use the expression “that train has left the station” when someone is sad about a lost chance? Explain your view.
- Is it rude to tell a boss or professor “that train has left the station” if they made a mistake? Why or why not?
- Imagine the story ends differently: the professor really drives the student and they catch the train. How would the story change?
- If you could ask the professor three questions about his behavior, what would you ask?
- In your opinion, is it more important to be polite or to keep your schedule when you have a tight deadline? Give reasons.
- Think of another situation where “the ship has sailed” could be used. Describe the situation and why the expression fits.
‘That Train Has Left the Station!’ (or…It’s too late)
And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English.
On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples, notes on usage and sometimes we use them in a short story.
Today we talk about transportation expressions involving ships, boats, and trains.
A train ride can be a wonderful adventure .
Imagine that you are in your final days of study in Budapest. You have lived there as a student for over a year but have never traveled to Prague. So, on your last weekend, you plan a train trip from Budapest to Prague. But you only have a couple of days to make the trip.
You buy a ticket leaving late on a Friday night. You plan to catch the train after your last class. You are so excited! But after class your professor offers to buy you dinner. He wants to send you off with a celebration. You don’t want to be rude . So, you agree, but your eye is always on the clock.
Dinner takes longer than you thought it would and soon it’s nearing your time to catch the train. So, you thank him and say you have a train to catch. But he insists that you stay for a quick dessert and offers to drive you to the station. You do the time math in your head and figure that if he drives you, you will have just enough time to catch your train. But then, after dessert, he remembers, “Oh I didn’t drive. How silly of me!” You tell him, “Thanks. I really have to go!”
You rush to the station! But by the time you get there the station, the train – your train — is pulling away. And there won’t be another one until the next night. You have missed your train and your chance to see Prague before returning home!
And that brings us to our expression for today. “That train has left the station.”
It means you have missed an opportunity. The chance to do something – something you really wanted to do – has passed.
We say this when a process is already underway. The time for discussion is over. It’s too late to change your mind. And it’s too late to make changes. Some possibility or choice is no longer available or likely.
If you like boating expressions, you can also say: “That ship has sailed,” or that someone has “missed the boat.” They are all used the same way.
Besides missing an opportunity, all of these expressions could be used in another situation: When events have been put into place and there is no stopping them.
For example, let’s say your mother wants to fix you up with the nice child of her boss . She arranges the whole date without talking to you first. You don’t want to go, but she has already told her boss that you would.
If you were to tell me about it, I would probably say to you: “Sorry. But that train has already left the station. You must go on that date.”
Usually when we use “that train has left the station” or “that ship has sailed” it means events are going forward and you can’t stop them.
Now, here is a note on usage. Simply put, these sayings mean, “It’s too late. So, save your breath.” So, they could sound rude or thoughtless. And they are informal .
So, I would say them to a friend and co-worker. But I wouldn’t say them to my boss or my professor – although it was his fault that I missed my train in the first place!
And that’s all the time we have for this Words and Their Stories . Until next time … I’m Anna Matteo.
Anna Matteo wrote this program for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.
